Toward an Understanding of Life with Cancer: Personal Meanings, Psychosocial Problems, and Coping Resources

ABSTRACT

Three interrelated factors hypothesized as important contributors to the experience of cancer, namely, personal meaning, psychosocial problems, and coping responses are described. To understand life with terminal cancer, health care professionals must pay increased attention to each of these variables. Additionally, several common assumptions of health care providers may contribute to misunderstanding the plight of the cancer patient. The present paper emphasizes the importance of studying the entire range of cancer patients and not just those having difficulty adjusting to their situation.

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Notes on contributors

Dennis C. Turk

Dennis C. Turk is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Peter Salovey is a Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology, both at Yale University. Please address all correspondence concerning this paper to Dennis C. Turk, PhD, Department of Psychology, Yale University, Box 11A Yale Station, New Haven, CT 06520-7447.